Permanent curb form structure having tongue and groove joint means



Aprll 1968 H. c. LYNCH PERMANENT CURB FORM STRUCTURE HAVING TONGUE ANDGROOVE JOINT MEANS Filed July 29, 1966 INVENTQR. HUGH a. LYNCH BY XMvUnited States Patent 3,379,105 PERMANENT CURB FORM STRUCTURE HAVINGTONGUE AND GROOVE JOINT MEANS Hugh C. Lynch, 5569 Lyford Ave., Memphis,Tenn. 38117 Filed July 29, 1966, Ser. No. 568,889 3 Claims. (Cl. 94-31)This invention relates to a permanent form structure for forming andpermanently facing the curb or border of concrete walks, roads,automobile service station islands and the like. The invention basicallyincludes a pair of curb sections having coactingly operative tongue aridgroove joint means for longitudinally aligning and endwise joining thecurb sections.

In current practice, certain concrete curb structures utilize curbsections having means for joining the sections together and suchstructure adapted to be used in forming the green concrete as it ispoured, and as a permanent facing strip in the cured and finishedconcrete construction. The curb form structure of the present inventionconcerns two or more curb rail members each having respectively ahorizontal bead or rib extending along the upper edge corner of saidcurb rail.

A principal object of the invention is to provide an improved joint forlongitudinally aligning and endwise joining ribbed curb rail members.

An object of the invention is to provide curb form structure includingcurb form sections which are quickly and easily assembled anddisassembled for packaging or shipment and such sections readilyutilized in concrete construction.

A further object is to provide curb form section joint means whichincludes readily accessible bolt means for quickly and easily connectingand disconnecting the sections.

A further object is to provide tongue and groove curb form section jointmeans for readily longitudinally aligning the sections.

A further object is to provide a strong and secure joint between thecurb form sections.

A further object is to provide a neat and close fitting joint betweenthe curb sections.

The means by which the foregoing and other objects of the presentinvention are accomplished and the manner of their accomplishment willbe more readily understood from the specification upon reference to theaccompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is an environmental view of the curb form structure of theinvention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged elevational view of the curb form joint meanstaken as on the line IIII of FIG. 1, and illustrated without theconcrete structure.

FIG. 3 is a vertical plane sectional view taken as on the line III-IIIof FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of the joint means illustrated inFIGS. 2 and 3 and shown without the nut and bolt fastener means.

FIG. 5 is a horizontal plane sectional view taken as on the line VV ofFIG. 2.

It should be understood that in the following description where the termcurb form section appears, it is to be construed to include a curb formsectional part for a walk, road, or automobile service station islandand a sectional part of straight configuration as illustrated in FIG. 1or U-shaped configuration as utilized in the end curb form sections ofservice station islands. Also, it should be understood that although thefollowing description is directed toward a single pair of curb formsections, in certain embodiments of the invention more than a singlepair of curb rail members would be utilized and the joint means would beembodied in both ends of a 3,379,105 Patented Apr. 23, 1968 section. Forpurposes of clarity, the invention will be described in the structure ofa pair of straight curb rail sections 11, 11' and with removablethreaded fastener members 13.

Rail sections 11, 11' respectively include rail members 15, 15' andjoint members 17, 17. Rail members 15, 15 respectively arelongitudinally uniform rolled sheet metal members. Each member is likethe other in size and cross sectional configuration and each includesrespectively a flat body portion 19, 19' having planar inward andoutward side surfaces respectively 21, 23 and 21', 23'. Rail members 15,15 include respectively longitudinal concavoconvex rib portion 25, 25offset outwardly respectively relative to rail member body portions 19,19' and terminating respectively in a longitudinally extending edgesurface 27, 27. Each rail member 15, 15' includes an end portion 29, 29'respectively including an inward side surface terminating respectivelyin an end edge surface 21, 21 extending respectively perpendicular tothe respective longitudinal edge surfaces 27, 27'.

Joint members 17, 17' are fixedly secured in confronting engagementalong the inward side surface of respective rail members 15, 15'. Jointmembers 17, 17' are each like the other and each is preferably dieformed from sheet metal which is preferably of the same gauge as themetal of rail members 15, 15'. Joint members 17, 17' includerespectively tongue elements 33, 33' and a groove element 35, 35. Jointmember tongue and groove elements 33, 35 and 33, 35' are respectivelyfixedly secured along the inward surface respectively of end portions29, 29 of rail members 15, 15' by weld beads 37, 37'. Edge surfaces 39,39' respectively of groove elements 35, 35' preferably are arranged evenwith end edge surface 31, 31' of rail members 15, 15'.

Joint members 17, 17' include respectively upper and lower extensionportions 41, 43 and 41', 43'. Upper extension portions 41, 41' spanrespectively the concave side surface of rib portions 25, 25 and arerespectively fixed along longitudinal edge surfaces 27, 27' by weldbeads 45, 45'. Lower extension portions 43, 43' of joint members 17, 17parallel abuttingly engage respectively the inward side surfacesrespectively of end portions 29, 29'. Joint member groove elements 35,35' are parallel spaced respectively from the inward side surfaces ofrail members 15, 15' and define respectively groove openings 47, 47'.The attachment of joint members 17, 17 on the end portion of each railmember and the relative arrangement of the joint members is such thatwhen end edge surfaces 31, 31' are abuttingly engaged and rail members13, 13' are in corresponding longitudinal alignment, the tongue andgroove elements of the joint members are coactingly engaged.

Upper and lower apertured lugs 49, 51 and 49', 51' are integrallysecured respectively to upper and lower joint member extension portions41, 43 and 41', 43. Upper lugs 49, 49 project perpendicularly from upperextension portions 41, 41', and lower lugs 51, 51 projectperpendicularly from lower extension portions 43, 43. Upper and loweredge surfaces 53, 55 and 53', 55' respectively of the upper and lowerlugs are beveled or extend obliquely; since joint members 17, 17' arealike and interchangeable in fabricating the rail sections, both theupper and the lower edge surfaces respectively of the upper and lowerlugs are beveled to permit the top surface of the concrete to besutficiently above the respective upper lugs to provide a neat straightline of demarcation between rail members 15, 15 and the edge of theconcrete.

The curb form sections of the present invention may be quickly andeasily assembled or disassembled in packaging or shipping the sectionsand in use provides a smooth, uniform curb surface. Upper extensionportions 41, 41' of joint members 17, 17' extend across the convex backsurfaces of rib portions 25, 25' and there is small likelihood of damageto the rolled rib edges in shipment. The tongue and groove joint meansof the curb form insures quick and accurate alignment of the formsections.

Although the present invention has been described with reference to apreferred embodiment thereof, it is to be understood that it is not tobe so limited since changes and modifications may be made therein whichare within the full intended scope of the present invention ashereinafter claimed.

I claim:

1. A permanent form structure for forming and permanently facing thecurb or border of concrete walks, roads, automobile service stationislands and the like comprising: a first curb form section including ahorizontal longitudinally uniform sheet metal rail member including afiat body portion having planar inward and outward side surfaces, andincluding a longitudinal concavoconvex rib portion offset outwardlyrelative to said outward side surface and terminating in a longitudinaledge surface, and including an end portion having an inward side surfaceterminating in an end edge surface extending generally perpendicular tosaid longitudinal edge surface, a first elongated vertical joint memberfixedly secured in confronting engagement along the inward side surfaceof said first rail member end portion and spanning the concave sidesurface of said rib portion, said first joint member including a tongueelement and a groove element vertically spaced apart, said tongueelement being flat and substantially of uniform thickness and extendingbeyond the end edge surface of said first rail member in parallelrelationship therewith, said groove element being substantially spacedfrom the inward side surface of said first rail member end portion anddefining a grooved opening therebetween; a second curb form sectionincluding a longitudinally uniform sheet metal rail member of the samecross sectional size and configuration as the rail member of said firstcurb form section and including a fiat body portion having planar inwardand outward side surfaces, and including a longitudinal concavoconvexrib portion offset outwardly relative to said outward side surface andterminating in a longitudinal edge surface, and including an end portionhaving an inward side surface terminating in an end edge surfaceextending generally perpendicular to said longitudinal edge surface, asecond elongated vertical joint member fixedly secured in confrontingengagement along the inward side surface of said second rail member endportion and spanning the concave side surface of said second rail memberend portion, said second joint member including a tongue element and agroove element vertically spaced apart, said tongue element being fiatand substantially of uniform thickness and extending beyond the end edgesurface of said second rail member in parallel relationship therewith,said groove element being substantially spaced from the inward sidesurface of said second rail member end portion and defining a grooveopening therebetween, the attachment respectively of the joint memberson the end portions of the rail members being such that with the endedge surfaces of said first and second rail members abuttingly engagedand with the rail members in corresponding longitudinal alignment, thetongue and groove elements of said first and second rail members arecoactingly engaged with the tongue element of one joint member beingengaged with the groove element of the other joint member; and couplingmeans for releasably coupling said first and said second joint memberstogether in said coactingly engaged configuration.

2. A form structure as defined in claim 1 in which said coupling meansincludes at least one lug having a bore opening fixed on each jointmember and a threaded fastener received in the bore openings detachablyengaging the lugs and releasably clamping said first and second jointmembers together.

3. A form structure as defined in claim 1 in which coupling meansincludes at least one lug having a through opening fixed on each jointmember and fastener means detachably engaging the lugs and releasablyclamping said first and second joint members together and including abeaded threaded bolt extending through the openings of said lugs and anut removably threaded on said bolt.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,851,134 9/1958 Robinson 523853,242,834 3/1966 Sondheim 9431 3,297,345 1/1967 Downing 287-103 JACOB L.NACKENOFF, Primary Examiner.

1. A PERMANENT FORM STRUCTURE FOR FORMING AND PERMANENTLY FACING THECURB OR BORDER OF CONCRETE WALKS, ROADS, AUTOMOBILE SERVICE STATIONISLANDS AND THE LIKE COMPRISING: A FIRST CURB FORM SECTION INCLUDING AHORIZONTAL LONGITUDINALLY UNIFORM SHEET METAL RAIL MEMBER INCLUDING AFLAT BODY PORTION HAVING PLANAR INWARD AND OUTWARD SIDE SURFACES, ANDINCLUDING A LONGITUDINAL CONCAVOCONVEX RIB PORTION OFFSET OUTWARDLYRELATIVE TO SAID OUTWARD SIDE SURFACE AND TERMINATING IN A LONGITUDINALEDGE SURFACE, AND INCLUDING AN END PORTION HAVING AN INWARD SIDE SURFACETERMINATING IN AN END EDGE SURFACE EXTENDING GENERALLY PERPENDICULAR TOSAID LONGITUDINAL EDGE SURFACE, A FIRST ELONGATED VERTICAL JOINT MEMBERFIXEDLY SECURED IN CONFRONTING ENGAGEMENT ALONG THE INWARD SIDE SURFACEOF SAID FIRST RAIL MEMBER END PORTION AND SPANNING THE CONCAVE SIDESURFACE OF SAID RIB PORTION, SAID FIRST JOINT MEMBER INCLUDING A TONGUEELEMENT AND A GROOVE ELEMENT VERTICALLY SPACED APART, SAID TONGUEELEMENT BEING FLAT AND SUBSTANTIALLY OF UNIFORM THICKNESS AND EXTENDINGBEYOND THE END EDGE SURFACE OF SAID FIRST RAIL MEMBER IN PARALLELRELATIONSHIP THEREWITH, SAID GROOVE ELEMENT BEING SUBSTANTIALLY SPACEDFROM THE INWARD SIDE SURFACE OF SAID FIRST RAIL MEMBER END PORTION ANDDEFINING A GROOVED OPENING THEREBETWEEN; A SECOND CURB FORM SECTIONINCLUDING A LONGITUDINALLY UNIFORM SHEET METAL RAIL MEMBER OF THE SAMECROSS SECTIONAL SIZE AND CONFIGURATION AS THE RAIL MEMBER OF SAID FIRSTCURB FORM SECTION AND INCLUDING A FLAT BODY PORTION HAVING PLANAR INWARDAND OUTWARD SIDE SURFACES, AND INCLUDING A LONGITUDINAL CONCAVOCONVEXRIB PORTION OFFSET OUTWARDLY RELATIVE TO SAID OUTWARD SIDE SURFACE ANDTERMINATING IN A LONGITUDINAL EDGE SURFACE, AND INCLUDING AN END PORTIONHAVING AN INWARD SIDE SURFACE TERMINATING IN AN END EDGE SURFACEEXTENDING GENERALLY PERPENDICULAR TO SAID LONGITUDINAL